To pour oil or ointment onto a person or object as a part of a ritual or ceremony.
The Hebrew word for anoint first appears in Genesis 31:13, when Jacob pours oil on the stone of Bethel (Genesis 28:18–19). Later, the ceremony was repeated (Genesis 35:9–15). This was a religious ceremony that signified the place's sacred use.
As a religious act, the anointing was meant to give the anointed person some of the qualities of the god involved. From ancient times, the Hebrew people started the service of new leaders in their community by pouring special oil on their heads. The same practice was used to set objects apart as special for God's use.
The Bible does not give many details about how official things and people were anointed. Jacob simply poured oil on a rock and said something. When anointing Israel's first king, Samuel (a prophet and judge) took Saul aside to teach him (1 Samuel 9:25–27). Then Samuel “took a flask of oil, poured it on Saul’s head, kissed him, and said, ‘Has not the LORD anointed you ruler over His inheritance?’” (1 Samuel 10:1).
For anointing the tabernacle (a special tent for worship) and its priests, they made a special oil. Skilled perfume makers mixed the best spices (myrrh, cinnamon, sweet cane, cassia) with olive oil (Exodus 30:22–25).
The Lord said everything set apart for God should be anointed. This included the tabernacle, the ark, the table and its tools, the lampstand and its tools, the incense altar, the main altar, and the washbasin. Aaron the high priest and his sons, who were priests, were also to be anointed (Exodus 30:26–32). This made a holy place with holy furniture, holy worship tools, and holy ministers that were special to God.
In Israel, three main jobs were linked with anointing: prophet, priest, and king. Prophets were sometimes, but not always, given their job through official anointing (1 Kings 19:16). People could call them God's anointed ones (1 Chronicles 16:22; Psalm 105:15). When the Levite priesthood began, all priests were anointed for their jobs. This included Aaron's sons and Aaron himself (Exodus 40:12–15; Numbers 3:3). After this, they did not anoint regular priests again when they started their work. Anointing was kept mainly for the high priest (Exodus 29:29; Leviticus 16:32).
Before the Israelites had their own king, they knew about anointing as a way to start a king's rule (Judges 9:8,15). Anointing became a God-ordered ceremony for all kings of Judah and Israel (2 Kings 9:1–6; 11:12. This started with Saul (1 Samuel 10:1; 1 Kings 1:39). David was anointed three times (1 Samuel 16:1, 13; 2 Samuel 2:4; 5:1–4). “The Lord’s anointed” became a common term for Israelite kings (1 Samuel 12:3–5; 2 Samuel 1:14–16; Psalm 89:38, 51; Lamentations 4:20).
Anointing was not only for religious reasons. Both the Egyptians and the Syrians used anointing for health and beauty. The Bible shows that Israelites also used anointing in this way (2 Samuel 12:20; Ruth 3:3; Micah 6:15). When people did not anoint or put perfume on themselves, it showed they were sad or in trouble (2 Samuel 14:2; Daniel 10:3; Matthew 6:17).
In the New Testament, the Bible recommends anointing sick people with oil. This happens when a sick person asks for it. Church leaders pray for healing while doing this (James 5:14–16). The apostles (early Christian leaders) also used anointing with oil when they healed people (Mark 6:12–13).